King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson to Run for State Attorney General

King County Council Law and Justice Chair Bob Ferguson, a reformer and advocate for children, families, and veterans, will run for the office of Attorney General in 2012. Ferguson, a Democrat, will build a tough-minded Attorney General’s office, prioritizing public safety, consumer protection, the environment, government transparency, and veterans.

“The Attorney General must be the leading legal advocate for the people of Washington,” said Ferguson. “I am running to redouble our commitment to consumer protection during this recession, increase our efforts to protect this environment, keep our citizens safe, and be an advocate for our veterans.”

Ferguson, selected unanimously in 2010 to chair the newly non-partisan County Council, pledged to bring objective, non-partisan leadership to the office of Attorney General. As Chair, he oversaw the administration of 150 Legislative Branch employees.

“Republicans and Democrats alike can expect the same high level of representation and integrity,” said Ferguson. “The Attorney General’s office is no place for political grandstanding. Our citizens expect fairness and objectivity when it comes to interpreting and implementing laws.”

Leaders in the legal community have already rallied to support Ferguson’s campaign, including former Washington Supreme Court Justice Bobbe Bridge and Gerry Johnson, a past managing partner at K&L Gates where Ferguson practiced law in the firm’s litigation group from 1997 to 2002.

Other early endorsers include House Judiciary Chair and Lambda Legal Board member Jamie Pedersen (D-43), longtime civil rights attorney Lem Howell, State Representative and consumer protection attorney David Frockt (D-46), State Representative Ruth Kagi (D-32), King County Executive Dow Constantine, King County Council Chair Larry Gossett, former Governor Mike Lowry, and many more.

Ferguson began his legal career in Spokane after receiving his law degree from New York University. He clerked for Chief Judge W. Fremming Nielsen of the Federal District Court for Eastern Washington (appointed by George H. W. Bush) and later for Judge Myron Bright of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals (appointed by Lyndon Johnson).

At Preston, Gates, and Ellis (now K&L Gates), Ferguson worked as a litigator representing individuals, businesses, local governments, and Washington corporations. Ferguson is a member of the Washington State Bar.

Ferguson has deep roots in Washington State. His great-grandparents homesteaded along the Skagit River near what is now Marblemount. His grandparents owned the local meat market in Everett.

Ferguson’s parents graduated from Everett High School and later moved to Seattle. His mother taught special education in Seattle’s public schools and his father worked at Boeing. Bob is one of seven children and he and his wife, Colleen, have toddler twins, Jack and Katie.

Ferguson was elected to the King County Council as a reformer and earned a reputation as a tireless grass-roots campaigner. He took on a 20-year incumbent and knocked on more than 20,000 doors to meet voters and listen to their concerns. By beginning his campaign now for 2012, he will be able to continue his emphasis on grass-roots outreach.

“I’m excited to visit communities and meet with voters across Washington,” said Ferguson. “For me, the best part of public service is working directly with people—listening, learning, and taking action to solve problems. I am excited for the long road ahead.”

On the Council, Ferguson is a leader on criminal justice, government reform, environmental protection, and veterans’ issues.

Public Safety and Criminal Justice:

He is reforming the county’s pretrial release process to prevent the release of convicted felons charged with repeat offenses.

He wrote the law that reformed the county’s public records process to ensure that citizens can easily obtain records and monitor their government.

He led the effort to improve the King County’s Elections Office after the contentious 2004 election.

Bob partnered with his Republican colleague to establish wage reform that linked county workers’ wages with current economic conditions.

As Budget Committee Chair, he produced a balanced budget that maintained the County’s AAA bond rating—the highest in the state.

Protecting the Environment:

He led the effort to preserve 100,000 acres of open space through the Open Space Preservation Act.

He expanded the county’s Green Building Initiative to require sustainable business practices in all county projects.

Veterans Issues:

He spearheaded the effort to pass the Veterans and Human Services Levy, which voters overwhelmingly approved in 2005. The Levy generates more than $13 million a year for veterans and families in need. He is leading the effort to renew the Veterans Levy in 2011.

He expanded legal aid for veterans and is working to establish a specialized Veterans Court to connect veterans to supportive services.

Ferguson represents King County District 1 which includes the communities of Bothell, Kenmore, Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, North Seattle, and parts of Woodinville and unincorporated King County.

Ferguson has received national recognition for his leadership. He was selected to join the Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowship, a prestigious program that brings together the nation’s most promising political leaders. Each year, 24 elected officials—12 Democrats and 12 Republicans—are selected for their “reputations for intellect, thoughtfulness, and commitment to civil dialogue.”

To learn more about Bob Ferguson and his campaign for Attorney General visit

Editors Note: It would be good if we could elect an Attorney General who will actually do something for the people who have to contact their office. On more than one occasion, the current office has done NOTHING to address inquiries from voters. The AG office needs a change. Not sure if it is Bob Ferguson, but we need someone who will actually FIGHT for the people of Washington.

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Washington Policy Center’s Public School Accountability Index rates the quality of more than 2,000 public schools across the state including those in the Bellevue School District. The Index is based on data compiled by the State Board of Education’s 2010 Achievement Index.

Here are some key findings:
• 597,000, or nearly 60%, of Washington children attend Fair or Struggling public schools.
• Only 93,000, less than 10%, of students attend a Very Good or Exemplary public school.
• The great majority of schools, 1,208, rank as only Fair or Struggling,
• Only 212 schools, barely 10%, rank as either Very Good or Exemplary.
• The poor academic performance is not due to lack of support from taxpayers – funding for Washington public education is at record highs.
• Public schools receive just over $10 billion a year, or $10,200 per student, in operating funds, plus an additional $1.3 billion for school construction.
• Since 1980 education spending, adjusted for inflation, has more than doubled, while the number of students, due to smaller families, has increased by only a third.
• There are fewer students today in relation to the total population than in the past, and spending per student is the highest ever.

In Bellevue, the International School received the highest score of 6.44 (1-7 scale). Robinswood Middle and High Schools scored 3.67 and was the lowest scoring Bellevue school.